Posted by Rasmussen Gems and Jewelry LLC Quartz is a very common mineral in the earth’s crust (second to feldspar in abundance), and comes in a variety of colors. Seen here is a cluster of quartz crystals. Quartz is silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is the primary mineral in sand. Quartz has a hardness of seven […]
12 Ways to Generate an Extra $1200. a Month from your Creative Pursuits Every time I hear artists say they wish they could do their crafts full time, I am so sad that they believe in the myth of the starving artist. It’s just not true. If you’ve ever attended a wholesale trade show like […]
Hello there, this post is all about Metals, Heavy, Precious, Rolled, Filled, Nickel and the chemical compound known as “Pickle”. Nickel: One of my biggest pet peeves in the jewelry industry is Nickel. Nickel is not Silver, it is not “Nickel Silver”, there is NO Silver in Nickel what so ever. Not even the tiniest […]
Ever wonder how to unclog your creativity? Well I have and still do. I have found that over the last few months I have not been able to design a new piece of jewelry and therefore have just been doing some of the same things that I have done before. Which is great practice, don’t […]
This is the first in a series of blogs featuring gemstones other than the big four (diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald). Each monthly blog will feature a different colored gemstone. The correct division of gemstones is white and colored. There is only one white gem-diamond. All others (including several in clear/white) are called colored gemstones. […]
There is always discussion about what is and isn’t handmade. Dictionary.com defines handmade as “made by hand, not by machine, especially with care or craftsmanship .” But even that definition has changed as times have changed. Back in the pioneer days, handmade was just that… made with your hands. There was no electricity, and there […]
Good Morning, Today I thought we would look at taking care of the equipment and implements we use in our work, creations and art. The other day as I sat down to work on a ring, this happened. Oops! The plastic casing has broken, and wires are exposed, the small piece of metal that acts […]
I recently was lucky enough to attend the Buyers Market as a member of the press. While getting my permission badge to carry my camera and take photos, we were directed to the press table which turned into an eye opening experience. On this table were folders, envelopes and brochures from the various vendors displaying […]
In the beginning, before modern gemology, there were only four gemstones and they were named for their color. White (clear) were diamonds, red were rubies, blue were sapphires and green were emeralds. Then man became a little more educated and he found that all stones of the same color were not the same crystal shape […]
What is a blog ring you ask? Well, it is just a whole lot of fun, and a great way to get your shop and items out there for all the world to see. Here at Handmade Artists, we have a great group of bloggers that love to share handmade items on our blogs, thru […]
